Sorters of the generic type are mechanical plants for sorting piece goods, such as, for example, parcels, but also letters and flat packages or small packs, in order to deliver these to specific destinations by means of distribution information assigned to the piece goods. The sorters are part of a sorting and distribution system which can be used reliably only when the automatic identifiability of the sorting stock or of its distribution information is ensured; for only then can this sorting stock be delivered to a predetermined destination via technical devices.
The sorting and distribution systems for the sorting of piece goods consist in general of a horizontally or vertically revolving line-up of sorter elements on which the sorting stock is received. Thus, sorting systems of this type may consist of sorter carriages which are coupled to one another and which are designed in endless form as what are known as circular sorters on paths closed on themselves or else as linear sorters. Transverse-belt and tilting-tray sorters are formed by sorter carriages which are coupled to one another and are themselves equipped with tilting trays or transverse belts on which the piece goods are transported, lying on them, from a feed station to their destination. All sorting systems have in common the fact that the sorting stock is laid on the support (transverse belt, tilting tray, etc.) typical to each sorter and is transported, together with the sorter element (sorter carriage), to the destination where distribution takes place on the basis of the distribution information added to the sorting stock or sorter element.
The feeding of the sorter elements with the sorting stock takes place either manually or in an automated manner. In the case of automated feed, it is possible in a relatively simple way to detect information relating to the sorting stock laid automatically onto the sorter element and to effect synchronization between the information relating to the sorter element, for example a tilting-tray conveyor, and the distribution information (address) of the sorting stock. For the destination-compatible unloading of the sorter element, it is indispensible to know on which sorter element which article for which destination lies.